Ecosystem approach tries to regulate our use of ecosystems and natural resources so that we can benefit from them, while at the same time modifying the impacts on them so that basic ecosystem functions are preserved.

An essential element of sustainable development

3A definition

UN Convention on Biological Diversity 1992

Ecosystem and natural habitats management seeks to meet human requirements to use natural resources, whilst maintaining the biological richness and ecological processes necessary to sustain the composition, structure and function of the ecosystems concerned

4What do we mean by ecosystem structure and function 5What do we mean by ecosystem structure and function? 6Objective of ecosystem management

Management objective is to ensure that goods and services from ecosystems and habitats are available on a sustainable basis

Management of ecosystems is applied within identified boundaries ecosystem managers need to understand different societies interact with the systems within which they live

7Focus of management actions

Human actions are the focus of ecosystem management

Adjusting chemical conditions

Regulating physical parameters

Altering biological interrelationships

Controlling human use of biological productivity

Intervening in cultural, social and economic processes

8Maintaining ecosystem function and integrity

Structure and functional integrity of the system should be maintained

There are few natural ecosystems that have not been modified by human activity

Use of functions purposefully, but be aware of natural limits

Use it, dont lose it

9Recognising ecosystem boundaries and transboundary issues

Primary focus for actions should be on human activities that affect the components and processes within the boundaries of ecosystem

Ecosystem processes do not respect administrative boundaries these may cut across functional linkages of an ecosystem

Ecosystems may be affected by distant actions, outside the management boundaries

Concepts of Core Zones, Buffer Zones, transition areas

Consider ecological corridors between core areas and buffer zones that allow for plant and animal migrations

10Maintaining biodiversity

Loss of biological diversity in an area can lead to loss of goods and services provided by the ecosystem

Management should try to maintain biological diversity

Important to monitor biodiversity since change is a sensitive indicator of damage

Some species are an indicator of ecosystem health

Some species are important as flagships which people can understand and work to conserve

11Recognizing the inevitability of change

Change in ecosystems is occurring all the time, some may be

Natural and geological processes and events

Human activities agriculture, dams, urban growth and pollution

Climate change induced drought, rainfall

Need to be aware of inevitable changes, decide what changes to mitigate against.

Social Choice

12Recognising people as part of the ecosystem

People are an integral part of most ecosystems

People are using and depending upon natural resources

Decisions about the use of these natural resources should involve the people using them

13Reasons for involving local communities

They have an interest in the management process

They have considerable, relevant knowledge of the ecosystem and its management

Cultural, ethical and spiritual values have developed because of the interaction with ecosystem

Traditional use and tenure systems can be adapted to aims and objectives of ecosystem management

14Recognising the need for knowledge based adaptive management

Ecosystem management should incorporate a knowledge-based adaptive management approach but

Beware of top-down information imposed from outside

Information gathering is an integral part of management, this must be analysed and decisions taken

Review policies of different sectors to identify areas of conflict and compatibility

Share information about methods, activities and results

Agree where data is stored and access

Share ideas for actions based on other organisations experiences

Coordination and integration of information gathering

Avoid duplication and work for synergy

Spread the workload and responsibility for management

Identify sites and habitats that are critical to ecosystem services and that require special forms of management and co-operation

19Making ecosystem management a mainstream development approach

Ecosystem management is not just a tool for protecting special areas

It should be applied in all development initiatives, e.g. infrastructure, dams etc.

The principles provide guidance on things such as social choice, stakeholder involvement, adaptive management, impact assessment

20Practical exercise

Divide into small groups of about 5 8 persons in each

Each person identifies 3 issues that they are dealing with in their work and these are listed

The group then discusses how the ecosystem principles can be applied in dealing with these issues

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